Liquid crystal display and electronic apparatus

Abstract

In a transflective liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal layer has horizontal alignment, and a polarizing plate having a transmission axis parallel with or orthogonal to an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer is provided on a side opposite to the liquid crystal layer of an element substrate, and a polarizing plate having a transmission axis orthogonal to that of the polarizing plate is provided on a side opposite to the liquid crystal layer of a counter substrate. A resin layer having a first resin layer and a second resin layer being λ/2 retardation films is provided on the liquid crystal layer side of the counter substrate, and a slow axis of the first resin layer is disposed so as to be parallel with or orthogonal to the transmission axis of the polarizing plate, and a slow axis of the second resin layer crosses the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer. A step portion is provided between the element substrate and the resin layer, and an end of the step is formed into a slope portion having a continuously changing thickness, and the slope portion is disposed in a transmissive display region.

1. A liquid crystal display comprising:
 a first substrate and a second substrate that are disposed to face each other, 
 a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the liquid crystal layer having a substantially horizontal alignment in an initial alignment state, 
 first and second electrodes provided between the liquid crystal layer and the first substrate, wherein the first electrode is formed on the first substrate and the second electrode is formed on an insulating film disposed over the first electrode, 
 a reflecting layer provided between the liquid crystal layer and the first substrate, 
 a pixel region including a reflective display region where light incoming from the second substrate is reflected by the reflecting layer toward the second substrate to perform display and a transmissive display region where light incoming from the first substrate is transmitted toward the second substrate to perform display, 
 a first polarizing plate provided on a side of the first substrate opposite the liquid crystal layer, the first polarizing plate having a transmission axis parallel or perpendicular to an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer in the initial alignment state, 
 a second polarizing plate provided on a side of the second substrate opposite the liquid crystal layer, the second polarizing plate having a transmission axis substantially perpendicular to the transmission axis of the first polarizing plate, 
 a resin layer provided between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, the resin layer having:
 a first resin layer provided in the transmissive display region, the first resin layer being a λ/2 phase layer giving a phase difference of approximately ½ wavelength (wavelength: λ) to visible light, a slow axis of the first resin layer and the transmission axis of the first polarizing plate, being disposed so as to be substantially parallel or perpendicular to each other, wherein a TFT having a source electrode, a semiconductor layer, and a drain electrode is formed directly below the first resin layer disposed in the transmissive display region, and 
 a second resin layer provided in the reflective display region, the second resin layer being a λ/2 phase layer giving a phase difference of approximately ½ wavelength with respect to visible light, and a slow axis of the second resin layer is set in a direction intersecting the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer; and 
 a step portion provided on the second resin layer in order to make a thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display region smaller than a thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display region, the step portion including a slope portion having a continuously changing thickness, the slope portion being disposed in the transmissive display region. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A liquid crystal display comprising:
 a first substrate and a second substrate that are disposed to face each other, 
 a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the liquid crystal layer having a substantially horizontal alignment in an initial alignment state, 
 first and second electrodes provided between the liquid crystal layer and the first substrate, wherein the first electrode is formed on the first substrate and the second electrode is formed on an insulating film disposed over the first electrode, 
 a reflecting layer provided between the liquid crystal layer and the first substrate, 
 a pixel region including a reflective display region where light incoming from the second substrate is reflected by the reflecting layer toward the second substrate to perform display and a transmissive display region where light incoming from the first substrate is transmitted toward the second substrate to perform display, 
 a first polarizing plate provided on a side of the first substrate opposite the liquid crystal layer, the first polarizing plate having a transmission axis parallel or perpendicular to an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer in the initial alignment state, 
 a second polarizing plate provided on a side of the second substrate opposite the liquid crystal layer, the second polarizing plate having a transmission axis substantially perpendicular to the transmission axis of the first polarizing plate, 
 a resin layer provided between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, the resin layer having:
 a first resin layer provided in the transmissive display region, the first resin layer being an isotropic layer having no optical anisotropy with respect to visible light, wherein a TFT having a source electrode, a semiconductor layer, and a drain electrode is formed directly below the first resin layer disposed in the transmissive display region, and 
 a second resin layer provided in the reflective display region, the second resin layer being a λ/2 phase layer giving a phase difference of approximately ½ wavelength with respect to visible light, and a slow axis of the second resin layer is set in a direction intersecting the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer; and 
 a step portion provided on the second resin layer in order to make a thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective display region smaller than a thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the transmissive display region, the step portion including a slope portion having a continuously changing thickness, the slope portion being disposed in the transmissive display region. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The liquid crystal display according to  claim 1 , wherein the resin layer is formed of a polymerizable liquid crystal material to have a uniform thickness. 
     
     
       4. The liquid crystal display according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal layer of the reflective display region has such a thickness as to give a phase difference of approximately λ/4 wavelength with respect to light transmitting through the liquid crystal layer in the initial alignment state, and an acute angle between the slow axis of the second resin layer and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal is 67.5°. 
     
     
       5. An electronic apparatus comprising the liquid crystal display according to  claim 1 .